Tag: Bears quarterbacks

It’s official: Bears have the worst starting QBs in Super Bowl era

Bears fans are well-aware of the franchise’s QB struggles. But there’s statistical clarification of just how bad Bears QBs have been.

Chicago Bears fans are well-aware of the franchise’s quarterback struggles. Names like Cade McNown, Rex Grossman, Jack Concannon, Vince Evans, Jonathan Quinn and Mike Glennon are reminders of Chicago’s grim history at sports’ most important position.

But in case you needed statistical clarification of just how bad Bears quarterbacks have been, look no further than the nugget NFL Network’s James Palmer shared.

The Bears rank last — not near last, dead last — in five major statistical categories for quarterbacks since the start of the Super Bowl era.

Since 1966, Chicago quarterbacks rank last in passing yards per game, passing yards per attempt, passing touchdowns per game, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating.

And it doesn’t appear there’s an end in sight for the Bears’ quarterback struggles with Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles set to battle it out for the starting job this season.

[lawrence-related id=440606,440589,440548,440461]

Bears had 23 starting QBs during Tom Brady era in New England

Quarterback is the one position that has snakebitten the Bears most in their 100-year history.

This isn’t going to be an easy pill to swallow for Bears fans. Then again, poor quarterback play has become expected with this franchise, especially in recent memory.

Tom Brady made a splash in free agency choosing to sign with the Buccaneers, which marked the end of an era in New England. Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the Patriots, and during that time the Bears have seen an influx of starting quarterbacks.

Chicago has had 23 different starting quarterbacks since the start of the Brady era in New England in 2001.

The Bears trail only the Browns for the most starting quarterbacks during the Brady era in New England.

Let’s take a look at those starting quarterbacks:

  • Jim Miller
  • Shane Matthews
  • Chris Chandler
  • Henry Burris
  • Kordell Stewart
  • Rex Grossman
  • Craig Krenzel
  • Chad Hutchinson
  • Jonathan Quinn
  • Kyle Orton
  • Brian Griese
  • Jay Cutler
  • Todd Collins
  • Caleb Hanie
  • Josh McCown
  • Jason Campbell
  • Jimmy Clausen
  • Matt Barkley
  • Brian Hoyer
  • Mike Glennon
  • Mitchell Trubisky
  • Chase Daniel

Not exactly a reassuring list for a position that continues to plague the Bears. And that list might only continue to grow following the addition of Nick Foles, which could signal the end of the Mitchell Trubisky era in Chicago.

Wasn’t it easier when kicker was Chicago’s biggest concern?

[lawrence-related id=440564,440557,440550,440461,440404]

Chris Simms believes Bears will sign QB Teddy Bridgewater

The Bears will look at address QB in free agency, and one NFL analyst believes they could land Teddy Bridgewater.

As we head into free agency, all eyes will be on the Bears in regards to how they address the quarterback position in free agency.

With starter Mitchell Trubisky’s future in doubt, Chicago is expected to target an experienced veteran that can challenge Trubisky and serve as insurance should he continue to struggle.

While there have been talks of the Bears being more active the trade market than free agency, there’s still a belief that Chicago will address the quarterback position in free agency.

There are several high-profile quarterbacks on the free agent market from Tom Brady to Philip Rivers, which should make for an interesting free agency. But NBC Sports’ Chris Simms believes that the Bears will land another high-profile QB in Teddy Bridgewater.

If the Bears were to sign Bridgewater, it wouldn’t be to provide competition for Trubisky. It would be to serve as the Bears’ starter, effectively ending the Trubisky era in Chicago.

There’s been plenty of talk about bringing in a veteran that could compete with Trubisky for the starting job, but with this championship-caliber defense, the Bears are ready to win now. And they’re a quarterback away from doing so.

When it comes down to it, the Bears likely won’t be able to afford Bridgewater. According to Spotrac, Bridgewater’s market value is $21.5 million. And you have to wonder if that value will increase should a bidding war ensue for his services.

But if general manager Ryan Pace believes Bridgewater is his guy, he’ll find a way to get it done. We know that, despite Chicago’s salary cap situation, money can be moved around to account for moves like this.

[lawrence-related id=439890,439974,439940,439921]

Can Nagy, Lazor, DeFilippo and Ragone kickstart Mitchell Trubisky’s development?

How many former QBs does it take to kickstart Mitch Trubisky’s development? The Bears are certainly banking on the answer being four.

How many former quarterbacks does it take to kickstart Mitchell Trubisky’s development? The Bears are certainly banking on the answer being four.

Matt Nagy did some housecleaning this offseason on his coaching staff, bringing in new offensive voices that specialize in the areas of need the Bears have.

And of course, one of those areas of need is at the quarterback position with Trubisky. Nagy brought in Bill Lazor as the new offensive coordinator and John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach, as well as promoted former quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone to passing game coordinator. All four of those guys, Nagy included, are former quarterbacks.

The goal appears to be one final attempt to get something out of Trubisky, who is entering his fourth year amid questions of his future in Chicago. And who better to get it out of him than four guys that used to play the position?

It’s also worth noting that all four coaches are familiar with Trubisky. Obviously Nagy and Ragone, who have been working with Trubisky for two and three years, respectively. Then there’s Lazor, who told Bears All Access that years ago he’d scouted Trubisky as a high school quarterback in Mentor, Ohio.

Finally, DeFilippo should be familiar with Trubisky, considering he interviewed for the Bears head coaching job in 2018, where a big draw was how to get the best out of Trubisky like he did working as quarterbacks coach with Carson Wentz in Philadelphia, when he had his MVP-caliber season in 2017.

The former No. 2 overall selection, Trubisky’s struggles have been noted. During a season where Trubisky was supposed to take the next step in his development and in Nagy’s offense, Trubisky’s regression was the joke of the NFL.

Trubisky’s numbers dipped from 2018 to 2019, including passer rating (95.4 to 83.0), touchdowns (24 to 17), completion percentage (66.6 to 63.2) and yards per game (230.2 to 209.2).

Now, Trubisky is entering his fourth season in Chicago, and it might well be his last unless the Bears can find a way to right the ship.

While Nagy and Ragone weren’t enough to handle the job, maybe Lazor and DeFilippo can help salvage something out of the beleaguered quarterback.

[lawrence-related id=438131,438217,438146,438112]

3 QB prospects from 2020 Senior Bowl that Bears should avoid

The Bears are looking for answers at the quarterback position, not another problem. Which is why they should beware of drafting these 3 QBs.

The Bears have several needs they need to address this offseason, but none is as big a topic of conversation as the quarterback position.

While the Bears remain committed to Mitchell Trubisky as their starting quarterback in 2020, a lot can change between now and the start of the NFL season. Chicago is expected to explore the free agent market this offseason, as well as look to the NFL Draft for a young prospect to develop.

There were some quarterbacks that shined on the Senior Bowl stage, including Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Utah State’s Jordan Love and Washington State’s Anthony Gorgon. But there are some quarterbacks that didn’t help their draft stock following a week of practices and Saturday’s game.

The Bears are looking for answers at the quarterback position, not another problem. Which is why they should beware of drafting these three quarterbacks.

1. QB Shea Patterson, Michigan

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Senior Bowl presented an opportunity for Shea Patterson to make a case for him to be drafted this April. But unfortunately that wasn’t the case for the Michigan quarterback, who actually made a case why teams should steer clear of selecting him in the NFL Draft.

Patterson was the worst quarterback in Mobile, and he struggled with accuracy both in practices and during Saturday’s game. Patterson completed 6-of-10 passes for 131 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception and added 9 yards rushing in the game. While Patterson did make some nice plays, he followed those up with overthrows (including an interception) that left you scratching your head.

[lawrence-related id=436724,436690,436645]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Bears would do well to follow the Titans model

If the Bears want to ensure a return to the playoffs, they should look no further than the Titans, who did the right thing at the QB spot.

If there’s one thing the Bears can take from watching championship Sunday from home, it’s motivation. Motivation to get back to their winning ways.

That, and a blueprint in how best to ensure a playoff reappearance and a possible Super Bowl run. Look no further than the Titans, who after a 2-4 start to the season are one win away from a Super Bowl appearance.

But if the Titans hadn’t made the decision to bench former No. 2 overall draft pick Marcus Mariota in favor of backup Ryan Tannehill, chances are they wouldn’t be in the position they are now.

Obviously when you draft a quarterback as high as the Titans did in Mariota you’re committed to getting the most out of him. But there comes a time when you have to make the best decision for your team when it comes to winning — and pursuing a championship. So the Titans pulled the trigger and benched Mariota. And since Tannehill took over on Oct. 13, the Titans offense has come to life and are playing in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.

That’s something the Bears can learn with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who like Mariota is a former No. 2 overall draft pick and there’s been a lot invested in him. Trubisky hasn’t lived up to expectations in his three seasons, especially with his regression in 2019.

While there wasn’t much that went right on offense, including Trubisky, the Bears need to invest at the quarterback position in 2020 so they don’t continue to waste a championship-caliber defense.

The Bears made the right decision in not benching Trubisky in 2019, if only because he gave the team the best chance to win. Chase Daniel, while quite familiar with Matt Nagy’s system, wasn’t the better option. Tyler Bray wasn’t the answer either. Trubisky was the best quarterback on the roster.

But the Bears can’t rehash history in 2020, which makes this offseason an important one. They need to bring in competition for Trubisky — a veteran in free agency and then possibly a young prospect in the NFL Draft.

One of three things can happen in 2020.

  1. Trubisky turns things around in Year 3 of Nagy’s offense and, with the help of a dominant defense, lead the Bears back to the playoffs.
  2. Trubisky continues to struggle and is replaced by a viable backup that, who knows, might do enough to help the Bears make a return to the playoffs. Or, at the very least, inject some life into the offense.
  3. Trubisky struggles and is benched, and his replacement doesn’t fare much better. Although considering the changes made with the coaching staff, things shouldn’t be similar to what they were last season on offense.

While obviously Bears brass are banking on the first option, there’s no guarantee that a struggling Trubisky is going to magically put it altogether in Year 4. So having a veteran waiting in the wings isn’t the worst idea in the world.

[lawrence-related id=436130,436111,436087,436069,435919,435929]

Chicago dubbed prime landing spot for QB Teddy Bridgewater

One of the prime free agent QBs this offseason will be the Saints’ Teddy Bridgewater, and Chicago has been dubbed a good landing spot.

The Bears have an important offseason ahead where they’re going to need to make some decisions at the quarterback position.

While general manager Ryan Pace publicly backed Mitchell Trubisky — stating that he’s going to be the Bears’ starter heading into 2020 — his actions this offseason will speak louder than those words muttered at an end-of-year press conference.

Marcus Mariota and Andy Dalton have been names floated around as possible veteran options that could land in Chicago.

But one of the prime free agent targets this offseason will be Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who could choose to re-sign with New Orleans or find a team in contention for a championship.

If Bridgewater were to explore the free agent market, Bleacher Report believes that Chicago is a prime landing spot for the former first-round pick.

In all likelihood, it’s going to take a contending team to pry away Bridgewater from New Orleans, and the Chicago Bears are one of the few that make some sense.

Those Bears have likely soured on the Mitchell Trubisky experience after another middling year that seemed to hold things back. But they don’t have a high-profile pick to add a rookie yet have $20-plus million in cap space to lure in a veteran.

In the interests of contending now, this seems like a good marriage for both parties. If Bridgewater links up with an offensive guru in Matt Nagy, his next attempt at being a franchise passer could be a success.

Regardless, the Bears are going to need to turn to free agency and the NFL Draft to add quarterbacks. Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray are set to become free agents in March, and the Bears need to bring in a veteran that can challenge Trubisky — and potentially replace him if things go sour.

If Bridgewater were to come to Chicago, it wouldn’t be in a reserve role. If Pace goes out and signs Bridgewater, the Bears would be committing to Bridgewater as their starter.

[lawrence-related id=435588,435510,435431,434982,435500,435429]

Grading the 2019 Bears by position: Quarterbacks

We’re taking a look at how the 2019 Bears performed by position. First up: The QBs, which as you can imagine, didn’t live to expectations.

It’s no secret the Chicago Bears underperformed in 2019, finishing with a record of 8-8 and third place in the NFC North. But how did each individual player perform throughout the season?

This series will grade each Bears player for the 2019 regular season by their position. First up, the quarterbacks.

Mitchell Trubisky: D+

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The most polarizing figure in Chicago sports, Mitchell Trubisky entered 2019 with high hopes after a season in which he threw 24 touchdowns and added three scores on the ground. The former second overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft showed signs of becoming an effective dual-threat option with his mobility outside of the pocket. Would he take the next step in his third season in the league and become the franchise quarterback Bears fans have been waiting years for?

Absolutely not. Trubisky floundered in 2019 for most of the year, unwilling to push the ball down the field and limiting the Bears offense, which finished at the bottom of the league in nearly every statistical category. When he did throw downfield, he missed wide-open receivers on a consistent basis. Whether the issue fell more on Trubisky’s play or coach Matt Nagy’s play calling, the QB clearly wasn’t able to effectively execute the coach’s game plan.

Trubisky did have a couple of games late in the season where he flashed the potential the Bears front office continues to rave about, and he was hurt by the ineffectiveness at the tight end position. But make no mistake, he was awful in 2019. Through his first seven games of the season, Trubisky accounted for just five touchdowns. His late surge saw him finish the season with 17 touchdowns (27th in the NFL), 3138 yards (21st) and a quarterback rating of 83.0 (28th).

[lawrence-related id=435064,435184,435134,435188,435070]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3